Dorset League Division 1 – 1/2/18 – Poole A 3 Weymouth A 1

Poole A continued their successful run of winning games with a steady and sound win over last season’s champions Weymouth A.

On Bd 3 John Weatherlake playing Chris Johns played very well and gained a clear advantage from the opening and early middle game so marched down the board to finish off in quick time. Rumour has it the bar was beckoning!

Oscar followed up with a sound, controlled game against Allan Pleasants (Bd 1) and a slightly better position but no need to force the issue given the success on Bd 3 and a draw was agreed.

On Bd 2 Mike Duggan played Frank Pittman and here is a report of the game from Mike…Quote

My opponent played the Caro Kann, to which I responded by playing the Panov Botvinnik attack. I entered an isolated queen pawn middlegame (similar to my game against Dorchester), with the benefit of extra space. I secured a good outpost for one of my knights on e5. He had trouble developing his light squared bishop.

Pieces were exchanged and eventually I won a central pawn which proved to be significant. The game had a pretty checkmate finish, with my opponent walking into a mating net including a pawn, knight, rook and king. 1-0

Unquote

With the match won at 2.5/0.5 Chip on Bd 4 was striving to gain another full point. Credit must be given to his opponent S. Blake who was heavily outgraded and recovered from a 2 pawn deficit in an endgame to secure a hard earned draw.

So the Final match score was 3/1 victory which made a total of 5 games played and 5 games won sitting at the summit of the League table at the half way stage.

As always, it was good to see the Weymouth team and am sure they will be out for revenge in the return match on the 19/2 at their own club.